[HeySailor]

Tolerability of post-SCT maintenance vs. induction?

by HeySailor on Wed Oct 11, 2017 12:24 pm

I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in May and am scheduled for an autologous stem cell transplant in November. I've been on Revlimid, Velcade, and dexamethasone (RVd) for induction therapy. At first the treatment was tolerable, but for the last month I have had GI issues and I am exhausted.

Is the maintenance therapy after the stem cell transplant significantly easier to deal with than the induction therapy?

[lrankin]

Re: Tolerability of post-SCT maintenance vs. induction?

by lrankin on Sat Oct 14, 2017 4:14 pm

My husband had the same induction therapy and a stem cell transplant. That was 2 years ago. He didn't have any GI issues, though. His main issue was leg pain from the Velcade. That took him a while to get out of his system.

He is on Revlimid maintenance. He does fine. I have noticed after a year he has developed a cough. We have had his lungs x-rayed, etc. I think it is a side-effect of the medicine, but I don't think his doctor does. LOL.

That has been our experience.

[Mike F]

Re: Tolerability of post-SCT maintenance vs. induction?

by Mike F on Mon Oct 16, 2017 11:19 am

As far as I know, maintenance therapy typically uses only one drug and the dose is usually lower than that used for induction. I was on 25 mg/day Revlimid plus dexamethasone for induction. Maintenance has been just 10 mg/day of the Revlimid and I think some people go with 5 mg. That may help a lot with side effects.